ded
by the people as little better than concubines, and by Parliament
called "necessary evils." The English government had to issue
injunctions in 1559 stating that because of the offence that has come
from the type of women commonly selected as helpmates by parsons, no
manner of priest or deacon should presume to marry without consent of
the bishop, of the girl's parents, "or of her master or mistress where
she serveth." Many clergymen, nevertheless, afterwards married
domestics.

Very little was done to secure a properly trained ministry. Less than
half of the 2000 clergymen ordained at Wittenberg from 1537-60 were
university men; the majority were drapers, tailors and cobblers,
"common idiots and laymen" as they were called--though the word "idiot"
did not have quite the same disparaging sense that it has now. Nor
were the reverend gentlemen of unusually high character. As nothing
was demanded of them but purity of doctrine, purity of life sank into
the background. It is really amazing to see how an acquaintance of
Luther's succeeded in getting one church after he had been dismissed
from another on well-founded charges of seduction, and how he was
thereafter convicted of rape. This was perhaps an extreme case, but
that the majority of clergymen were morally unworthy is the {495}
melancholy conviction borne in by contemporary records.

[Sidenote: Character of sermons]

Sermons were long, doctrinal and political. Cranmer advised Latimer
not to preach more than an hour and a half lest the king grow weary.
How the popular preacher--in this case a Catholic--appealed to his
audience, is worth quoting from a sermon delivered at Landau in 1550.

The Lutherans [began the reverend gentleman] are
opposed to the worship of Mary and the saints. Now, my
friends, be good enough to listen to me. The soul of a
man who had died got to the door of heaven and Peter
shut it in his face. Luckily, the Mother of God was
taking a stroll outside with her sweet Son. The deceased
addresses her and reminds her of the Paters and Aves he
has recited in her glory and the candles he has burnt
before her images. Thereupon Mary says to Jesus: "It's
the honest truth, my Son." The Lord, however, objected
and addressed the suppliant: "Hast thou never heard
that I am the way and the door to life everlasting?" he
asks. "If thou art the door, I am the window," retorted
Mary, taking the "soul" by the hair and